Moments of Christmas
by Felicia Latoya Brown
Summary: Starting from their second Christmas together, this story catches glimpses of Daniel and Betty during the Christmas seasons. For safety reasons, I've Rated M for suggestive thoughts and comments.
1. Chapter 1: Not Alone

**Moments of Christmas**

**Starting from their second Christmas together, this story catches glimpses of Daniel and Betty during the Christmas season.**

**Disclaimer: Though I write, I did not write for Ugly Betty nor do I own any canonical piece.**

**Part 1: Not Alone (Takes Place December of Season 2)**

"Hold on a moment. I'm coming!" Daniel shouted towards his front door. He slipped into a pair of sweatpants, not caring if he was commando or not, and grabbed a towel to finish drying his hair and face. His eyes were still half covered when he opened the door and said, "Yes?"

"Daniel!" Betty squeaked. Forgetting the cold from outside, her cheeks warmed at the sight of Daniel's bare chest.

"Betty?" he gulped, "um, what are you doing here?"

Averting her eyes, Betty asked, "Can you put on a shirt first or at least take this box?"

"Uh, sure." Daniel grabbed the box.

Betty glanced around for the tell-all sign of another woman's presence. "I didn't interrupt anything, did I?"

"No, I went to the gym today and was just getting out of the shower when I heard the knock at the door." Daniel made his way to his living room with Betty in tow.

She tried not to focus on Daniel's body as he walked away from her, but his sweatpants were hanging enough that she knew he didn't have on boxers and the muscles in his back seemed to call to her to touch him. She quickly brushed off the idea and studied his lit fireplace instead. Ever since they met over a year ago, she'd have these moments when she definitely understood why women wanted Daniel…and those were women who didn't even know the caring and vulnerable person he hid so well from others.

"Betty?" Daniel's voice was muffled as he put on a Harvard sweatshirt. He chuckled softly. "You can look at me now. I'm dressed."

She let out a nervous giggle.

"So…what's with all this stuff?" he asked gesturing to the box he put down on his coffee table.

"Well, I figured that since it's nearing Christmas and the last month has been hard on you and your family, I would help spread a little Christmas cheer."

"I thought you were supposed to be spending time with…you know?" Daniel hated saying Henry's name. The mere idea that Betty chose to be with him even though she knew her heart would be broken soon was something that truly bothered him.

"Henry…" her voice drifted off for a moment before coming upbeat again. "Well, he's heading to Tucson, and you're stuck with me." She walked over to the large box and opened it. "Tonight we are going to make some ornaments.

Daniel let out a sharp laugh, "What!" As soon as he saw the light in her eyes and her smile start to fade, he quickly changed his tone. "I mean, uh, Betty, I don't even have a tree. Plus, most Christmas memories have been bad…uh, except when I helped your family last year. But this year," Daniel paused, sat on his couch, and put his head in his hands as his situation hit him again. His dad had only died a few weeks before, his mother was back in prison, and his sister still wanted to control everything. His eyes filled as he looked up at Betty. "I don't know if I can do this, Betty. Maybe I should just go away."

"Daniel, we've been over that, and that is not an option for you." Betty sat next to him and comfortingly rubbed circles on his back. "You've already made it through so much. You are going to make it through all of this, too." Her face lit up with her smile again. "And you're not alone. I'm here." She glanced at her watch. "And your tree and our dinner will be here in an hour, so we need to get started.

"Okay, Betty," Daniel chuckled. "What's first?"

By the time the tree arrived, lights had been checked, popcorn had been popped for stringing, and several ornaments were drying. While Daniel and Betty ate dinner, the Meade's florist team set up the tree in the living room in a corner near the fireplace. Betty turned on Daniel's sound system and found a radio station that was playing all Christmas music. When the team left, Daniel began to string the lights while Betty started on the popcorn and cranberry garland. His spirit was lifting as he laughed and talked with Betty. Then the conversation took a turn he wasn't expecting right as he sat down near her to start working on more ornaments.

"You did what?" he choked out.

Betty threw a handful of popcorn at Daniel. "I knew I shouldn't have told you," she pouted.

Daniel smothered his laugh. "Well, how did it go?"

The look on her face said it all, but she answered anyway. "Badly. He got mad and yelled at me. I only wanted to try something different, something exciting, and…" Betty didn't want to go any further. They've talked about lots of things including his sex life, but this was the first time they talked about hers.

"…and highly sensual when done properly," Daniel finished her sentence.

"Yes," she quietly answered. "At least that's what I wanted it to be."

Daniel looked at Betty, letting himself truly see his friend. She was young and inexperienced but this desire she had was new to both of them. He shifted slightly as his body reacted to the brief thought of being her teacher in matters of sensuality, but he pushed away the idea like he had other times she pierced his heart in an unexpected but extremely good way. Right now she needed her friend, not a horny guy on the make. He cleared his throat. "So what went wrong? Why would…he get so upset?"

Betty could easily sense that Daniel was starting to get upset with Henry. "It was really my fault. He really tried to go along."

"Well, what did you do?" Daniel tried to concentrate on his ornament so that what she said would not affect his body.

"I made a five-scoop sundae on his stomach."

Daniel quickly looked up. "Five?"

"Yes, the way I like my sundaes with whipped cream and cherries…the complete works."

Daniel stifled a chuckle.

"Well, I guess I took too long making it because he asked me to hurry up since he was getting cold. So I dove in, but I got too much ice cream in my mouth and on my glasses. He kept complaining, so I thought a little hot fudge would warm him up, but it was too hot. I ended up freezing part of his stomach and burning the other part."

Daniel could hold his laughter no longer. Betty crossed her arms and stared at him. "Oh, Betty, come on," Daniel gasped out while laughing. "You know it's funny. You would laugh if I told you a story like that. You know you would." He poked her arm from across the table.

A smile began to play at the corner of her mouth. "I guess." Then a small snort of laughter escaped her.

"Ah ha! See!" Daniel exclaimed.

"Okay. Okay. Anyway, I won't try that again any time soon."

Daniel stopped laughing and seriously looked Betty. "Wait! You're just going to give up?"

"I guess. Henry's kind of straight laced about things. I mean, he did try to dance for me at a club afterwards, but I think he's not into anything adventurous when it comes to other things."

"You mean sex?"

"Dag, Daniel, yes," she blushed and giggled. Holding up her homemade garland, she added, "I think that's enough."

Daniel helped her up. As they began to hang the garland, Daniel's mind kept going on Betty's situation. Finally, he spoke, "You know, Betty, maybe he's not the right guy for you."

"Daniel, we've been through this."

"I know, just hear me out. The right guy for you should not only be willing to explore your sexuality as you develop your tastes and explore your desires, but…" He stopped her and looked her in the eye. "He should never yell at you if something doesn't work when you try it. The bedroom is not the kind of place for that kind of yelling," he smiled.

Betty felt tears sting her eyes. "Thanks, Daniel. Maybe that will make his leaving a little easier to handle." She smiled weakly before pulling him into a hug.

Daniel let his anger towards Henry fade as he held his small friend. She had kicked off her shoes, so she was even smaller than usual. He wanted to keep holding her. He wanted to protect her from guys like Henry or Walter. There was something about her that made him want to be the man and friend on whom she could rely.

After a few moments, Betty sniffed and gazed up at Daniel. She wiped a stray tear from her cheek. "Thank you, Daniel. You really are an amazing person."

She saw the shift in his demeanor. It was quick, and she could see him try to push it away.

"Hey," she gave him a slight shake within their hug. "Hey." She got his attention again. "I'm not the only one who thinks that."

"Thanks, Betty, but I know that Team Daniel only consists of you and my mother," he sighed.

Betty let go of him and put her hands on her hips. Even at her height, she looked formidable. "I can't believe you still think that."

Daniel turned his eyes from her, so she grabbed his hand and led him to the couch.

"There's something else I wanted to tell you tonight."

"Does it involve Henry?" He let out a soft rumbling laugh to let her know he was trying to lighten the mood.

"No," she smiled. "It involves your father, and why I needed to come back to you and Mode…I guess it even explains why we needed to do this tonight."

The firelight danced and the Christmas lights twinkled, while Daniel's eyes filled with curiosity, sadness, grief, and happiness as he listened to Betty tell him the story of his father's dying request and her visions of him since then.


	2. Chapter 2: Could It Be?

Moments of Christmas

Part 2: Could It Be? (Takes place in December of Season 3)

"Amanda, we should do something? This is my first Christmas in my own Manhattan apartment." Betty flopped on her couch.

"Well, we can't do the roof again." Amanda said as she looked out the window at the snow as it started to fall.

"Maybe we can have a few people over."

"Like who?" Amanda sat next to Betty.

Betty thought for a moment. "Well, my family."

"Ooo," Amanda excitedly bounced. "Uncle Papi can cook. Bring it! Can Marc come, too?"

"Sure," Betty relented though she remembered how crazy the last get together with Marc and her family had gone when she pretended to his girlfriend; then she left him and his mother with her family so she could help Daniel. Daniel…hmmm.

"Um, Amanda?" Betty rang her fingers nervously. "There's someone else I try to include somehow on the holidays and I would normally…especially this one since I'm in the city…but I don't know how you feel…"

"Spit it out already, Betty." Amanda picked up an emery board and started to file her nails. "You want to invite Daniel," she said without even looking up.

Betty nodded before she started pacing and shaking her head as she talked. "I mean, it's been a crazy year for him. He found out his mother had been poisoned…"

Amanda looked up, "Hey!"

"…Then his girlfriend turned out to not only be Wilhelmina's sister but a crazy killer who set fire to his place and tried to kill me. Then the son he thought was his ended up being his sister's from when his sister was his brother. Then he was moved from Mode to Player, and you have no idea what that was like for him."

Amanda rolled her eyes. "He loved it, Betty."

"No, he didn't, which is why I had to get him back to Mode. Anyway, I just want to include him in something that could be fun, but I don't want you to be uncomfortable."

"Why? Because we used to sleep together?" Amanda smiled sincerely. "Betty, you're too nice." Then her eyes lit up and her mouth dropped. "Wait a minute! Do YOU have a thing for Daniel, Betty?"

"What!? No!" Betty quickly denied. She didn't know exactly how she felt about Daniel especially after the last two months. Sometimes Daniel seemed distant and secretive, other times he showed her that she meant a great deal to him. "Daniel would never look at me that way anyway. I'm just trying to make a good Christmas for everyone and he's had a lot of bad ones." She turned and walked towards the kitchen. "Never mind."

Amanda looked at her reflection in her compact mirror and re-applied her lip gloss. "You know I can give you some tips on how to get Daniel's mind off his bad memories," she smirked.

"EWW! AMANDA!" Betty cringed. "Yuck! Anyway, aren't you going to be late for meeting Marc?"

"Yup! I'll tell him we're going to have a Christmas party next weekend. Don't wait up. I'll probably crash at Marc's since his place is closer to the club!" Amanda said as she grabbed her coat and walked out the door.

Next weekend. Well, that didn't give them much time to get the place decorated and ready. Betty figured she'd get started while Amanda was gone. She washed up her dinner dishes first, and as she did so, Betty began to think about what Amanda said. Could she really have romantic feelings towards Daniel? Her heart had been on a roller coaster with Gio, Henry and Charlie during the first half of the year. Could she even imagine something crazier than that fiasco; something like she and Daniel as a couple? She shook her head. Of course not! But her mind began to race:

Well, he did put on that fashion show for her and cheered louder than anyone else when she walked the runway. Henry didn't even make as big of a commotion as Daniel did when she came out to model.

No, he just wanted to make up for all the times he made fun of the girls in the big T-shirts when he was a kid.

But he did seem panicky when he thought she was going to be killed by his girlfriend.

No, that was just concern because she really could have died.

Well, Daniel did tell her she was beautiful a few weeks ago after she caught Jesse kissing Amanda.

Give it up! He was only being nice. He hated seeing her cry.

He did publicly apologize for the Tornado Girl nonsense.

That's because he knew she'd quit if he didn't fix that situation. She didn't even have to threaten him with quitting. He knew she'd leave him.

What about the long reference letter for YETI?

That's work.

Yeah, but he didn't have to go on and on like he did.

Why not? She deserved it after all the she's done.

But didn't he say that was the SHORTER version? How long was the original? What did he cut out?

"UGH!" Betty lightly banged her head on the wall. "This is ridiculous." Maybe a bath would relax her mind. "No use thinking about it anyway. Besides, didn't he push me out the room when I was greeting Connor's fiancée the other day? Hmm…what was that about?"

Amanda's absence meant Betty could soak as long as she wanted. As the tub filled with hot water and bubbles, Betty lit a couple of candles, put on a Christmas CD, and pressed the repeat button. Then she slipped into the tub. She shook her mind free of Daniel and thought of the awesomeness of having her own place…especially with Amanda gone.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Amanda, if you forgot your key, oh well. I'm not getting up!" Betty yelled from the tub.

"If I had a key, I would let myself in," Daniel's voice came from the other side of the door.

"Daniel!?" Betty grabbed her towel as if he had actually entered the room. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, you'd know if you'd open the door."

"Hold on," Betty jumped out of the tub and quickly toweled off as the water drained.

"What's that sound?" Daniel asked through the door.

"The tub," Betty said quickly as she stepped into her pajama bottom.

"Your tub?"

"Yeah, remember I told you it was in the middle of the living room." Betty pulled her pajama top over her head, let down her hair and ran her fingers through it.

"Oh, I forgot about that," Daniel answered as Betty opened the door. "Hey," Daniel said, taking in Betty's baby duck pajamas and matching duck slippers. She could coordinate for bed but not for a work day. He chuckled. "Cute pj's," he said before he noticed she wasn't wearing a bra underneath it and she apparently didn't dry off enough because the top was starting to cling to her breasts.

Betty noticed Daniel's eyes drift toward her chest. "Oh my goodness!" She crossed her arms over herself and ran to her room.

"Betty, it's okay. Seriously," he shouted after her. As he struggled to bring in her surprise, he thought, "She really has nothing to be embarrassed about. Why does she hide those? Wow! Okay, Daniel. Get a grip."

Betty returned not only wearing a bra but a large sweater overtop of her pj's. "Wow!" She clapped with glee at Daniel's gift. "Daniel! I can't believe it! It's perfect."

Daniel had placed the small Christmas tree in the corner next to the couch. "Is this okay?"

"Yes, how did you know I didn't have one yet?"

"You mentioned it as part of your to do list for this weekend. I figured I'd beat you to it. Sort of a housewarming gift since I never really gave you one." Daniel smiled as he worked to get the tree to stand right. The tree tilted towards the wall again.

"Did you get a base to hold it up?" Betty giggled.

"It's a tree. It should stand." Daniel tried again.

"It's been cut; so, no, it shouldn't." Betty laughed a little harder. "Don't you remember seeing a base at the bottom of other Christmas trees?"

"No," Daniel gave up and let the tree lean against the wall. "I only remember Christmas blankets wrapped around the bottom. Remember I was still hung over when the tree went up at your house."

"Ah, and last year I arranged for the florist to put up and remove your tree," Betty remembered. "Well, let's see what I can find."

Betty rummaged through her closet and cabinets while Daniel tried not to look at her backside every time she bent over. He couldn't help it; he's a man and because of the slight dampness of her pj's it looked as if Betty didn't have underwear lines showing through. Fascinated by the idea that Betty might be going commando in his presence, he kept staring at her butt while trying to figure out if she was wearing underwear or not.

"Ah Ha! This should work!" Betty straightened up and turned to reveal an old bucket which held some tape and a brick broken in two. She filled a pitcher with water.

Daniel chuckled, "Okay, McGyver."

"Hey, you just hold the tree straight. I'll show you."

Betty knelt down next to him and started working under the tree. Her proximity let Daniel know for certain the answer to his question. She was commando. He gulped and suddenly felt very warm.

"Okay, you can put it in…ucket now," Betty said from half under the tree.

Daniel gulped again and looked down at her rear pointed in his direction. His sex-deprived mind was playing a cruel joke on him; first Molly with that dang zipper sound in the closet that almost led to him kissing her, now Betty…Betty would never say what he thought she just said. "Wh..what did you say?" he stammered.

Betty leaned back on her heels and looked up at Daniel. "Are you okay? Your face looks red."

He had to think quickly, "Um…yeah, just tired of holding the tree after carrying up the stairs."

Betty softly laughed. "That's why I said you could put it in the bucket now."

"Oh," Daniel chuckled. "That's what you said." Daniel put the tree into the bucket.

Betty stood and brushed off her hands before heading to the sink to wash them. "Yes, you dork. What did you think I said?" she called from over her shoulder.

Daniel bit his lip before answering. "Um…well, I just couldn't hear you from under the tree. That's all." Thankfully, Betty wasn't looking at him to call him on his lie.

"Oh, okay," she said as she dried her hands. "Thank you again for the tree, Daniel. It looks great."

Daniel walked over to the sink to wash his own hands. "Hey, no problem. I know money's tight for you right now, so I wanted to help."

"Aww," Betty smiled. "Well, now you have to make an ornament for this tree." Betty rushed off to grab her craft supplies.

Daniel blew out the candles which were starting to give him a flashback to his apartment burning. He listened to the words of the Christmas song that was playing. Betty walked in with her box right as Harry Connick sang, "When my heart finds Christmas, I hope it finds you, too." Daniel had to smile. There really was something about Betty that made Christmas enjoyable. They sat down at the kitchen table and got to work.

After they had been working silently for a few minutes, Betty chimed in, "So, Daniel. It looks like things are working out with Connor."

Daniel coughed, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, he seems to be getting Meade publications back on track financially."

"Oh, yes." Daniel's face reddened as he thought of Molly and was once again confused about his feelings for her and for the woman in front of him. He never thought he could love Betty like she deserved to be loved, but Molly…well, if Molly could go for Connor than she could go for a guy like Daniel, too. Connor had been even more of a bad boy than Daniel had in college, but did Daniel deserve a woman like Molly even if Molly wasn't on the same level as Betty. "Hey, Betty?"

"Yes," Betty answered as she concentrated on her glue.

"I need some advice."

"Sure."

"Okay. There's this girl…uh…woman I know. She's smart and funny and way out of my league."

Betty looked up to catch his eye. "What do you mean?"

Daniel looked down and tried to get his popsicle sticks to do what he wanted. "She's a good woman, Betty. I don't deserve her."

Betty swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to focus the storm of emotions within her so she could help her friend. "So she's different than the other women you've dated?"

"Yes," Daniel kept his head down.

"So she's not a stick thin model with an IQ to match her dress size." A small smiled played at the corner of Betty's mouth.

"No, I mean she's pretty but in an unconventional way."

"Okay," Betty fought against getting her hopes up. "So what's the problem?"

"She's…" Daniel mumbled a word that to Betty sounded like either unattainable or unavailable.

"What?"

"Let's just put it this way. If I stepped over the line with her, it could make work very awkward."

"Really?" Betty's face flushed red and a shiver ran through her.

"Yeah. What should I do?" Daniel kept his head down and chewed on his lip.

"Do you think she cares for you?"

"Yeah. I think so, but it might not be the same way I'm starting to feel for her."

"Well, You never know unless you ask," Betty said as her face lit up with a big smile.

"I guess you have a point." Daniel finally looked up at Betty. "Thanks," he smiled back.

"No problem. So…um…when are you going to talk to…um…this…woman?" Betty asked and held her breath for a moment.

Daniel put his head back down and concentrated on his ornament. "I'll wait until after the holidays. No use risking rejection before then."

Betty let out the breath she was holding and softly added, "I doubt you'll be rejected, Daniel."

That night Betty went to sleep with a big grin on her face. Though Daniel had informed her that he couldn't make her Christmas party because Alexis and DJ asked him and his mother to visit for the holidays, Betty was thrilled she had this Christmas decorating night with him before he left.

She excitedly wondered if she could be Daniel's mystery woman. Wouldn't that be an awesome way to start their next year together? She calmed herself down enough to sleep by telling herself that she shouldn't get her hopes up. How could she ever deserve a great guy like Daniel?

Unfortunately, she had just encouraged Daniel in his pursuit of Molly.


	3. Chapter 3: A Scare for Both of Them

Moments of Christmas Part 3 (December 2009-Season 4)

"I am."

It was a simple text. Daniel never thought these two words would cause a flood of intense emotions to course through his being, but they did. Anger, sadness, hatred, jealousy, and extreme loss all began to consume him. Somewhere deep within him, his heart began to break on a level deeper than it ever did with Molly's death. A silent mournful scream wanted to ebb up and be let loose. Now he understood keening. He had finally come to terms with the death of Molly, yet the end of something great loomed ahead.

He looked at the text from Betty again. Without her typing more, he knew. That morning he had been curious about her eating his bagel yet claiming that she was nauseous before coming to work. He wanted to ask her more and was about to do so when Hartley had entered with the new creative director. So when she called him in a panic on her bus ride to tell him how a man thought she was pregnant, his mind returned to his earlier thoughts on the matter. Daniel helped her calm down as much as he could over the phone. He told her there was only one way to be sure and that was to take a test. Now her quick two words text, made his stomach hurt, his head dizzy, and his breath come in quick gasps. Was he having a heart attack? He needed to see her, but he still needed to find a way to deal with his business issues. His mind was in a whirlwind that consisted of business and Betty.

He typed back: "Want to talk?"

It was a while before she answered: "Can't. Dinner."

That was right. Tonight was the infamous dinner she was having with her family and Matt. That name made Daniel queasy. He hated the fact that Betty re-started her relationship with Matt after the way Matt had treated her. He also hated the fact that she went back to Matt just as he was started to really see her differently.

The Bahamas. Ugh! Sure, his thing with Amanda was simple—no attachments, but he had found Amanda on his way to find Betty. His failure to perform with a stranger had left him wanting to seek out the woman who knew him best. He wasn't thinking about having sex with Betty, though the idea had crept across his mind several times throughout their friendship; he had wanted to stroll down the beach with her and talk. He wanted to be near her in the different setting, with the sunset before them on the horizon. He wanted to hold her that day, but Matt had found her first. Amanda gave him all the details, so Daniel went for the familiar with Amanda instead. It was empty of lingering emotions but fun.

Now Matt Hartley had gotten Betty pregnant. There was no way he'd be able to get rid of the Hartley connection into his life and business if Betty's life would be permanently tied to Matt's…unless Daniel gave her up. He couldn't think about that, so he pushed himself through to think about business.

Hours later he received another text: "I'm not."

Daniel let out a breath that he had been holding since his cell vibrated and he saw her name again. It was late in the evening, so Daniel figured the dinner must have been over. He returned the text: "Can I come over?"

Betty read Daniel text as she finished hanging up her coat. She texted back: "Yes."

Daniel threw on his coat and called for his car to wait downstairs. He didn't trust himself to drive with the crazy emotions running around within him, but he didn't know how long he was going to be and he hated the idea of imposing on his driver this late on Christmas Eve. As he drove, he realized that joy as well as curiosity was mixed into the batch of emotions he had earlier. When he arrived at Betty's house, most of the lights were out, but he saw her face in the window waiting for him. Betty was at the door before he could knock.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey," she responded and looked up at him.

Before he knew it, he had grabbed onto her and pulled her into a warm hug. Betty melted into him, and Daniel couldn't help but notice how right this felt. She was smaller than usual since she was wearing fuzzy socks with Rudolph on them, but Daniel didn't care. He loved the feeling of having Betty in his arms. He placed a soft kiss on the top of her head, before he asked, "Are you okay?"

Betty pulled back and looked at him. The tears she had been holding back throughout the evening now threatened to spill over as she looked into the tender blue eyes of her best friend. She couldn't answer that question because she really didn't know fully what she felt.

Daniel took the hesitation to pull her back into his arms for another long hug.

Finally, Betty pulled back again and wiped her wet cheeks. "I made some hot chocolate. Want some?"

"Is there a candy cane in it?" Daniel smiled down at her.

"Of course. I know you like yours that way," she smiled back.

He playfully nudged her. "And who was the one to get me to drink it that way in the first place?"

"It's the only way…well, with lots of marshmallows, too," she giggled. "Go have a seat. I'll be right back."

Daniel was glad to see her slowly returning to her cheerful self. She left to get the mugs as he put his coat on the rack. From the sofa in the living room, he was able to see Betty as she entered the room with two mugs in hand. Her Rudolph pajamas made him smile. It was so her. Being a man, he couldn't help but notice that she made sure she had on a comfortable bra and panty underneath her pajamas for this Christmas visit.

Betty handed him a mug before sitting next to him on the couch.

"So I take it that everyone has gone to sleep?" Daniel questioned.

"Yeah. It was a crazy night for all of us," she answered without looking up at him. She tried to change the subject. "Hey, I'm sorry we never had the chance to decorate or do something this Christmas."

"Well, being that it's a little after midnight, I would say we are doing something now for Christmas." Daniel smiled.

"Oh! It is. Merry Christmas Hanukkah, Daniel!"

Daniel laughed. "What?"

"That's what we've been saying all night since Papi's dating a Jewish lady."

"Okay. Merry Christmas Hanukkah to you, Betty." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box.

Betty's eyes lit up. "What's that?"

"You have to open it to see," Daniel teased.

She carefully undid the white bow and the small robin egg colored box. This was the second time Daniel had ever gotten her something from Tiffany's; the first being an engraved business card holder that she kept in her purse. She opened the small box to find a pair of rose gold Paloma Picasso modern heart earrings with a small diamond in the center of each tiny heart. Betty's eyes welled up again and she jumped over and hugged Daniel's neck.

"Careful," he laughed as he tried to balance his hot chocolate and hold onto Betty at the same time.

"Daniel, they are beautiful." As she began to put them on, she asked, "So did Nigel pick these out?"

"No, I saw them and thought of you." Betty looked at him carefully, and Daniel squirmed. "Well, he pointed me in the direction of things he noticed you had liked over the years. Then I saw these and knew they were for you."

"Well, thank you, Daniel," she said before planting a soft kiss to his cheek, "No matter how you came up with the idea, they are perfect." Then she looked a little sad. "I probably shouldn't wear them around Matt though. You know how he feels about our friendship."

"True." Daniel understood more than anyone, especially since he had already punched Matt for the accusations Matt made about the two of them. "But I hope you'll be able to wear them from time to time."

"Oh, I will," she smiled a full Betty-bright smile at him. She got up and ran over to the tree to find his box. "Here."

Daniel opened his box to find a bottle of Burberry Brit for men. "How did you know I ran out?"

"You've been wearing your other cologne this week, so I guessed you were out and didn't remember to tell Marc to order yours. The other cologne is nice, but I like this one more," she blushed.

"Okay, then I'll make sure to wear it." Tired of stalling, he sat back with his hot chocolate and patted the spot next to him before putting his arm around the back of the sofa.

Betty sat back down, grabbed her cup, curled her feet up on the couch and leaned into him. Then Daniel wrapped his arm around her. "Now, tell me what happened tonight?"

As Betty began to share all that transpired that night and her feelings in regards to thinking she was pregnant and finding out she wasn't, Daniel was glad to listen and realize how much of a similar emotional roller coaster they had been on since they had spoken on the phone earlier that day. She spoke about everything in great detail, including letting him in on the fact that Hilda was pregnant with Bobby's child. Betty figured she couldn't explain the confusion without letting him know that specific detail. They sipped at their hot chocolate, ate what was left of their candy canes, and kept talking. Daniel let Betty in on what was happening at Mode and the situation with Wilhelmina. Eventually, they fell asleep on the couch with Betty curled up into Daniel's side.

That was how Justin found them in the morning when he came down to open his gifts. To him, this would have been the best Christmas gift ever. He liked Daniel much more than Matt anyway. But he knew he couldn't leave them like that for his grandfather and mom to see, so he tiptoed over to Daniel and whispered in his ear, "Daniel, wake up."

Daniel opened his eyes and looked at Justin. "Hey, Justin."

"Hey," he smiled. "You might want to go before Grandpa and my mom come down. They would be full of questions after last night."

"You're right." Daniel looked down at the still sleeping Betty and smiled. He really liked waking up with her close by. She looked so peaceful and happy even in her sleep. "Hey, Justin. Can you help me here?"

"Watch and learn." Justin went over to his aunt and lightly tickled her. She shifted enough in her sleep for Daniel to move and gently place her head on a pillow.

"Thanks, Justin. Let her know that I had to go."

"Sure thing." Justin said as he walked to the door. Daniel grabbed his coat and started to leave. He took one last look at Betty snuggled on the couch as Justin said, "Thank you for being there for her. I'm glad she had you to talk to about everything."

"No problem, Justin," Daniel answered. Something stopped him from what he felt like saying but Justin wouldn't have understood the depths of the confession. Daniel was just starting to realize it for himself before he pushed the idea away again, but he knew it was true…he would swim across the East River in January for her. Did that mean what he and Betty spoke about years ago? He couldn't let his mind go there. Not now.

He pulled his scarf and the collar of his coat closer. "Merry Christmas, Justin." He stepped outside and heard the door close behind him. As he walked to the car, he whispered, "Merry Christmas, Betty."


	4. Chapter 4: Maybe a Future

**Moments of Christmas Part 4 (First Christmas after Series ended in April 2010)**

Daniel took one more look over the "flat" to see if he forgot anything. Tickets, passports, bags…he patted his pockets to make sure that the most important thing was not forgotten. He had been waiting for this moment for too long for him to mess it up now. He took everything downstairs and loaded up the waiting cab.

"One stop before the airport," Daniel said as he got into the cab.

Betty rushed around her office. Daniel would be there any moment for their flight home. She hadn't been back to New York since she left in April, and she hadn't seen her family since he had them flown over in August for the launch of _Inspired_. Now she was anxious to see them again, especially for Christmas and New Year's. Daniel was off from his graduate courses, and she had just signed off on the final proof to be sent to the printers for her February edition. Betty grabbed her coat and felt her cell buzzing in her pocket; a text from Daniel. She had five minutes. She typed a quick, "OK," pocketed her phone and made her way to the lift.

Once on it, she had a moment to think about this trip. Until then she had been too busy with work to really think about what this trip would mean, for her and for Daniel. People had suspected. People in the publishing industry had an idea. Their friends and families knew to some extent, but this was it. This was the first time they were going to publicly make it known that they were a couple. Betty's heart raced. Could she handle it? Could she handle what people would say? Could she handle the paparazzi? A soft giggle came out as she remembered running down the street years ago, telling Daniel to check for the paparazzi and how she kept saying the word because she liked the sound of it. "Yes," she tried to convince herself, "I can handle this." She smiled as she stepped off the lift and saw Daniel waiting in the lobby for her. She moved into his waiting arms and accepted his kiss eagerly. When she finally released him, she looked up into his surprised eyes.

"Not that I'm complaining, Betty, but what brought that on?"

"I just wanted to remind you that I love you." She hooked her arm in his and gently tugged him towards the door.

He laughed. "What did you do that would make me think otherwise?" he questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Nothing," she smirked as she got in the back seat of the cab. "Well, not yet."

Daniel climbed in after her. "Okay, we're ready. Take us to Heathrow," he said to the cabbie before turning his attention back to Betty. "What do you mean, 'not yet'?"

Betty began to play with his tie, avoiding eye contact. "Daniel, I don't know how I'll react at tomorrow's party."

Meade Publications was throwing a huge Christmas Eve party in the large lobby of the building. The year had been good for the company. Claire and Wilhelmina had done extraordinary things with the company while Daniel was in school. He had flown back a few times to deal with some crucial decisions that couldn't be handled over the phone or via email, but the two women had come to find a mutual understanding for the betterment of the company as a whole. Because of this and the fact that Claire wanted to show off Daniel and Betty as a new power couple, the Christmas Eve party of the year was being thrown that Friday night. Daniel understood why Betty would be nervous. This was a big deal for both of them, more than she even realized.

"Betty, honey, look at me," Daniel softly spoke, but she still didn't look up completely until he reached out and lifted her chin. Eventually her warm brown eyes met his deep blue ones. She loved when they changed that color. His eyes were like mood rings that would let her know when he was about to say something completely from his heart. Daniel continued, "Betty, it doesn't matter what anyone says or thinks. I know that I love you and you love me. That's what matters." His eyes twinkled as said, "You could trip and fall or walk into a glass door…"

"Daniel!" Betty tried to push at his arm, but he caught it and pulled her close.

"Nothing could make me stop loving you or doubt that you love me." He grinned. "I know you don't give your heart that easily."

Betty smiled back. "You got that right. I made you work for it."

Daniel kissed the top of forehead. "Yes, you did, from the day I met you until this April when I took you to dinner my first night here," he laughed.

"Oh, so you haven't had to work for my heart since that dinner?"

"Nope," Daniel sat back in the cab and watched her face.

"You were so sure of yourself, were you?" Betty sat up straight and looked directly at him.

"Yup."

"Then why did I get calls from your mother, Alexis, DJ, Marc, and Amanda all asking me what I did to make you think you didn't have a chance with me after your first month here?"

Daniel's face turned red. It was true. Though their first dinner had gone well, he hadn't told her how he felt. Every time he had gotten ready to do so, he would chicken out. He marveled at all she was accomplishing and was afraid that being in a relationship with him would hold her back in her own life. Plus, her busy schedule made it hard for them to meet up as much as he would have liked during his first month there. Looking back on it, he realized he had been extremely nervous and emotional during that month. He must have driven the others nuts for them all to contact Betty. Daniel bit his lip and raked his fingers through the hair on the nape of his neck. "You never told me that they all called you."

"I have to have a few secrets for moments like this," she giggled.

"So is that why you finally gave me a chance? Because everyone else begged you?"

"Well, that, and I finally got my copy of the anniversary issue of Mode. I read your letter and knew what you had been struggling to say, so I decided to make it easier for you," Betty blushed.

Daniel scooted closer to her and took her hand. "So that's why you started scheduling time for me and touching me more often?"

"A girl's got to do what a girl's got to do, and I've learned that I've got to touch you," she answered as she released his hand and crept both of hers up his arms and around his neck.

"And when were you going to tell me you read the letter?" he whispered.

"When you asked?" she giggled. "You never brought it up."

"Oh, you…"

Betty cut him off with another passionate kiss which Daniel reluctantly broke.

"You better stop this if we are supposed to make it home without any fun interruptions."

"Okay," she pulled back and pouted. "I never thought I would miss the Meade jet as much as I do now."

Daniel let loose a loud laugh. "Believe me, Betty. It's on the list of things to restore as Meade rebuilds. I'll make sure we're the first to christen it."

Betty covered her mouth to quiet her snickering fit; then whispered, "Daniel, that sounds dirty."

"Hey, you were the one thinking about becoming a part of the mile-high club just now," he chuckled.

"I blame it on you. I wasn't always like this," Betty said as she crossed her arms.

Daniel leaned in and kissed her neck before whispering in her ear, "Oh, yes, you were. You were just afraid to let it out."

His gravelly voice sent shivers through her body and her stomach muscles contracted in anticipation. "Remember that Christmas at my apartment, when you told me about the ice cream. You were curious then. You wanted more but didn't know what, when, and with whom."

Betty opened her eyes and looked at Daniel's, "And now I do."

"And you can't get enough." He winked.

She winked back. "That's because you know what to do with the ice cream."

"We're here," the cabbie interrupted.

Daniel placed a soft kiss on Betty's cheek. "Let's go." He stepped out of the cab and helped her out.

Betty sighed, "This is going to be a long flight."

"I told you not to start anything," Daniel teased.

Their flight out of Heathrow at 4 pm GMT landed at Newark International shortly after 6pm EST. Within minutes of their landing, Daniel and Betty were taken to a helicopter that would take them over traffic and to the Downtown Manhattan Heliport where their families were waiting.

Betty had never taken this helicopter flight, so she bounced excitedly next to Daniel. He couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. Betty looked at the New York City skyline. The winter sky had already darkened, and the city was aglow with lights. "Daniel, we're home," Betty said as she squeezed his arm.

Daniel reached over and wiped a stray tear from her cheek.

"I didn't realize how much I missed it," she sighed.

Daniel knew then what he had only guessed before that moment, London would not be their permanent home. New York had always called to them, and one day they would return for good and hopefully raise a family. When he went to London to try something on his own, Betty encouraged him to remember who he was and find out what fit in regards to Meade Publications and what he wanted out of his life. He knew he wanted a family with Betty, but he also knew she wanted a career and he didn't want to end up like his father to busy with work to nurture his wife and children's dreams. The more he thought about their future and what he wanted out of life, the more he wanted to run Meade Publications with Betty by his side. The two of them made a great team and could take Meade Publications to a higher level. With this in mind, he enrolled in classes at The University College of London for three Masters: publishing, business psychology, and comparative business economics. Each masters program would take a year to complete and he was half way through one. He had been nervous about whether or not she would want to move back to New York when he finished school, but her comment made him think that anything was possible. Daniel looked back at Betty as the helicopter started its dissent.

"Daniel?"

"Yes."

"Is it wrong for me to be happy in both places?"

Daniel squeezed her hand in his. "No."

Betty looked down at their families waiting for them. "I think…" she picked up their clasped hands, entwined their fingers and started again, "I think one day…"

"I know," he kissed her fingers. "We have time."

Betty leaned into Daniel as the helicopter landed. "After you finish school?"

The door opened and the noise flooded in, so Daniel nodded. Betty's face lit up with a brilliant smile. Daniel exited and helped Betty down. She squeezed his hand before letting go and running to her family.

Their families knew that they had a long flight and were dealing with a time difference so they kept their visit at the heliport short that night. Betty went off to stay with her Papi for the evening. Hilda was going to spend the night so they could talk until they fell asleep like they did when they were younger. Daniel went off to stay with his mother at the Meade mansion. It was the only night they planned to be apart. For Christmas, their families would all stay at the Meade mansion. Alexis and DJ would arrive in the morning, making this the first Christmas that completely combined the Meade and Suarez families. Daniel grinned as he entered the family mansion.

"Daniel," Claire called to him before he could take his bags upstairs.

"Yes, mom." He turned and came back.

"I know I'm probably overstepping, but I want to show you something." She walked over to a large envelope on the table in the foyer. "Here, I had these drawn up."

Daniel opened the envelope and scanned the documents. "Mom, is this what I think it is?"

Claire nodded. "The house is yours when you and Betty decide to return. I'll stay until then, but I don't need all this space. Tyler and Amanda have gotten their own apartment. I've been looking at smaller places, not too small of course, but not all of this." She waved her hand at the grandeur of the home. "This is meant for a family. May your memories with Betty and whatever children should come in the future be brighter memories than the ones your father and I gave you and Alexis." She kissed his cheek and rubbed off the lipstick she had placed there. "You both deserve it, honey."

"Mom, thank you, but it's too…"

"Too much? Who else is going to fill this old home with the warmth it needs?"

Daniel smiled and tugged at his ear. "Betty does have that way about her, doesn't she?"

"That she does," Claire smiled. "So when can I expect to start working on wedding plans and redecorating this house?"

Daniel laughed. "That's all up to her. Maybe she'll be able to tell you after tomorrow night."

"Oh, Daniel…what do you have planned?"

"Mom, I'm not telling you anything until I need to tell you," he laughed. "You have a way of giving Betty hints before I have a chance to say anything."

"I do not."

Daniel stared at his mother. "Oh, really?" He crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows.

"What? Because I told her I had a 'theory' about you? The girl is smart. I didn't say, 'I think Daniel's in love with you.'"

"No, Betty said it was in the way you looked at her when you said it and that you nodded when she questioned you."

"She didn't question me directly. All she said was 'No?' and 'Really?'" Claire tried her best to impersonate Betty's reactions from earlier that year.

"Case in point." Daniel kissed his mother's cheek. "I'm going to bed. See you in the morning. Good night."

"Good night, son. I love you."

"I love you, too, mom." Daniel turned, went up the stairs and found the room he was to share with Betty. It was the second master's suite in the house, but it was as large as the main master's suite. As he pulled off his clothes and headed to the shower, he realized that his mother had put him in this room on his last few visits so he could get used to being in the larger rooms of the house. Since his apartment and Molly's place had sold, the Meade mansion had been his crashing pad for whenever he had to make the business trips back to the city. Daniel chuckled to himself as he stepped under the hot water. His mother was always a few steps ahead of him on his game plan. How did she do it?

Friday night arrived. Alexis and DJ made it to New York in time to rest before getting ready for the Christmas Eve party. Daniel hadn't seen Betty most of the day and was starting to become a nervous wreck. He wanted everything to be perfect for that night.

Betty, on the other hand, had spent the day at the spa with Hilda, Elena, Amanda, and Claire, so she could be perfectly relaxed by the time she got to the Meade mansion. All of the dresses and suits for the families had been sent there so that everyone could change and travel in a caravan of cars to the event.

"Daniel, instead of pacing a hole in the floor, why don't you go and get ready?" Alexis said.

"But, I..."

"Good Lord, Danny. She'll be here soon. And she's getting changed in my room so that you don't get distracted. We want to make it to the party tonight." Alexis looked at her kid brother and remembered the first moment she saw Daniel with Betty years ago at the fashion show. Her voice softened, and she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, there's nothing to worry about. You two have loved each other a long time. I saw it the first time I laid eyes on the two of you. So don't worry."

"Thank, Alexis." Daniel glanced at his casual outfit; then at Alexis in her black evening gown. Tyler and DJ came down the stairs in their suits. "I guess I should go get ready."

"Duh," Alexis said as she pushed him towards the stairs. "All the ladies will have to do is slip into their clothes when they get here. Everything else was done at the spa."

"Okay."

About a half hour later, the ladies entered followed by Ignacio, Bobby, and Justin. Alexis rushed Betty upstairs and out of sight before Daniel could see her.

As Alexis shut the door to her room, Betty turned in a hug and asked, "Alexis, what's going on? Where's Daniel?"

"Shh! He's in another room getting ready. I just wanted you to get into your dress before he sees you."

"Why?"

Hilda entered the room. "Girl, have I taught you nothing? It's all about you making an _entrance_," she said adding her own flair to the word.

Betty tried to get by them. "Please. It's just Daniel. He doesn't care about an _entrance_," Betty mimicked Hilda's gestures.

Amanda and Elena walked in followed by Justin who added, "Yes, he does."

"All men do," Amanda added.

"Okay, fine! Since you won't let me see him, I guess I should get ready and someone should explain this _entrance_ thing to me."

Daniel, all the other gentlemen, and the two teenagers waited in the foyer in view of the staircase. Daniel impatiently tapped his foot and repeatedly checked his watch. He was about to send Justin back up the stairs, when the ladies came into sight. Claire was first as the grand matriarch of the family. She was followed by Hilda, Amanda, and Elena. Alexis walked alone as the oldest Meade child.

Finally, Daniel saw Betty standing at the top of the staircase in her royal purple off the shoulder gown. She had apparently spent time in the tanning salon because her skin was a beautiful golden brown. The soft curls of her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders and slightly bounced as she descended. She kept her eyes locked on Daniel like Alexis told her and was surprised by what she saw. Apparently, the women were right about making an entrance. She could feel the heat rise in her face as she blushed. The look of love that Daniel gave her was the same as the first time he had entered her. Tears had rolled down his face that first night together. Not like they had for Molly which was because he knew Molly was dying. He had cried because of the extreme depth of love he had for a woman who knew him better than anyone else and the reality that he had almost lost her. That first moment of intense intimacy was more emotional than either of them had ever imagined it could have been.

As Betty came near the end of the stairs, she saw Daniel quickly swipe away the tears the rolled down his face. He met her at the bottom of the stairs.

"Betty," he whispered. "Wow! Just when I thought you couldn't be any more beautiful, you prove me wrong again." He bent down and kissed her cheek, and she wiped the remaining tears from his face. He helped her into her coat, turned, and presented his arm to her. "Shall we?"

"Let's," she beamed.

The families entered the vehicles and headed to the Meade Publications building. The press swarmed outside waiting to catch a glimpse of the Meade family. This was the first event in which the whole family would be in attendance. Only the patriarch would be missing, and his name was on the building and a painting of him hung in the lobby. The first car carried Hilda, Bobby, Amanda and Tyler. The second car carried Justin, DJ, and Alexi. The third carried Ignacio, Elena, and Claire. The last carried Daniel and Betty. When they stepped out, the flashes went off.

Betty leaned into Daniel, "How do you see with all the lights going off in your face?"

"Now you know the real reason why celebrities where sunglasses?" he chuckled.

Betty's face broke into a brilliant smile as she laughed, and the photographers loved it. As the couple entered the building, only a few special press members were allowed to get close to them. Daniel and Betty were greeted by Suzuki. "Well, hello, you two. This is a new development. Would you care to tell the viewers how this happened?"

Daniel calmly answered, "We will give you an exclusive and private interview later this evening."

Suzuki waved his team away and lowered his voice. "Honestly, I kept wondering when you two would realize you were meant for each other." Then he turned to Betty. "And you look wonderful, dear. I've heard good things about _Inspired_. My sister-in-law lives in London, and she loves it."

"Thank you, Byron," Betty whispered.

Daniel and Betty mingled with the editors of the different magazines, greeted old colleagues and acquaintances, and met some of the newer employees they hadn't met. Sporadically they would eat, drink, or dance throughout the event. At 11:50 pm, Daniel climbed the major stairway with the large door leading from the lobby into the rest of the building. From there he could see the very place his father used to stand to oversee what went on in the lobby. It had been one of Mr. Meade's regular habits of which the employees didn't know, but his children did. Bradford used to tell Daniel and Alex to watch people when they didn't think they were being watched. "You can learn a lot about a person's character when they don't think you are looking," he would tell them. Daniel hadn't always taken that to heart. If he did, there wouldn't have been nearly as many inappropriate videos made, photos taken, or articles printed on Page Six. He had to learn the hard way.

"I wish I would have listened, Dad, but I'm glad you were watching that day." Daniel thought before he grabbed the handheld microphone that the soundman gave to him at 11: 55.

"May I have your attention, please? May I have you attention?" The room quieted and focused attention on Daniel. "Wow. Uh. Thank you. Thank you so much for being here tonight. It means a great deal to my family. Meade Publications has been through some difficult situations, but we are thankful to see a change happening that is for the good of this company. To our staff and employees, thank you for all of your hard work this past year. I believe I can speak for my whole family in saying thank you for your loyalty. I especially want to thank my mother, Claire Meade and Wilhelmina Slater for all of their dedication and brilliant work after I left in April."

Alexis gathered the ladies and strategically made them stand in place. She came up to one side of Betty and Claire came to the other. Hilda and Amanda came up behind Betty so she couldn't run if she tried.

Daniel continued, "There has been much speculation about my departure. I'm here to set the record straight. I'm a Meade and that's our name on the building. I can't quit that. It's a part of who I am and I take that responsibility seriously, but I stepped down from Mode because it was time for Wilhelmina to take the reigns for the magazine and because I needed to personally pursue something that meant more to me than a magazine ever could. There was a woman who stood on these steps over four years ago. She knew Meade Publications better than I did at that time. All she wanted was a chance. She was talented and hard-working, but the HR rep turned her away because the only entry level position was to be my assistant and he didn't think she was good enough for me. That man has long since been fired." Daniel paused as chuckles came from the crowd. Then he continued: "I can't say enough how thankful I am that my father watched what happened that day. He stood up by that railing like he always did, and he saw that young lady. Something impressed him. Sure, there were horrible rumors about why my father hired her, but whatever his reasons for hiring her, my father's dying words to this woman changed all of that."

Daniel looked through the crowd and made eye contact with Betty. The ladies around her nudged her forward as Daniel spoke. "My father told her to take care of me; that I needed her because she was the only person who could keep me on my path. Every time she had left my life, whether it was because I was an idiot and she quit or I was an idiot and I fired her or I was an idiot and let her go work for someone else or travel for the summer, every time she left, I strayed off track. So I had to step down from Mode in April because my compass was gone. She left the country to pursue her dreams, and I left to pursue her. Betty Suarez, will you come up here please?"

Betty tried to escape the attention, but she saw Claire beside her. Claire whispered, "I have a theory," and grinned and hugged Betty. "One day I hope you call me mom." Betty relaxed and pulled Claire tighter before she turned to approach Daniel.

She met Daniel in front of the very door that had slammed in her face all those years ago. Daniel took her hand and knelt on one knee. "Betty, that HR rep didn't know that I needed you, but my dad did. He just didn't know how much I needed you when he first sent for you to be by my side. Now I'm asking you to be by my side for the rest of our lives." He swallowed the lump in his throat. "I meant it when I said I couldn't live without you. I love you with all that I am. Will you marry me? Please, Betty?"

Somewhere in the midst of his words, tears flowed down both of their faces. Betty choked back a sob as she nodded her head enthusiastically.

Daniel laughed, "Can I hear you say it?" This time he pointed the microphone at her.

"YES!" Betty answered, and the word echoed back louder than she expected. The crowd erupted in cheers, laughter, and applause as Daniel lifted Betty and spun her around in a hug before kissing her passionately.

Daniel handed the microphone over to the soundman and removed a robin-colored box from his pocket. He opened to reveal a small black velvet box. Pulling this out, he got done on one knee again and opened the velvet box for Betty to see flawless, clear "D", 2.5 carat, marquise-cut solitaire ring.

"Oh, Daniel," Betty whispered as he took the ring and slid it onto the ring finger of her left hand. The chimes sounded for midnight.

"Merry Christmas, Betty," Daniel said and kissed her finger just above the ring.

Betty pulled Daniel to his feet. "Merry Christmas, Daniel," she softly replied before slowly kissing him again.


	5. Chapter 5: Warmth All Around

Moments of Christmas Epilogue (Christmas 2015)

Daniel paused in the doorway and took in the sight. The Meade mansion was full of Christmas cheer. A crackling fire was warming the living room where most of the crowd had gathered. The Christmas tree was large and decorated with handmade and store bought ornaments. Justin, Wilhelmina, Marc, and Cliff were singing Christmas carols as DJ played the piano. Connor sang along as he worked with Nico, Tyler, Amanda, Hilda, and Bobby to teach the little ones how to make Christmas ornaments. He and Willie were blessed to have twins, a boy and girl who were now almost four. The doctors had been wrong. Willie only needed to start eating properly and de-stress, and that was something Connor made sure she did. She was actually enjoying motherhood this time around, and Nico was enjoying being a big sister. The other two couples, Amanda and Tyler and Hilda and Bobby, each had a five year old daughter.

Connor looked up at Daniel in the doorway. Daniel knew that if it wasn't for Betty his relationship with Connor never would have healed. The respect that Wilhelmina and Betty had for each other helped to make things easier for the two men. Wilhelmina still owned part of the company and her husband was a part of the package that came along with her. Betty told Daniel that he had to get over the issues he had with Connor for the sake of the business. When Daniel was still being a baby about it, Betty reminded Daniel of where he went wrong with Molly and asked him point blank, "How would you feel if I broke our engagement because I had a thing going on with Becks on the side? Then how would you feel if Becks went on a stake out with you to find out who my new man was, never telling you that it was him?" Ouch! Leave it to Betty to call him out on what he did. Connor lashed out in the only way he could effectively get Daniel to stop and take notice. A punch couldn't solve the betrayal Connor had felt. He was a financial genius, so that's what route he took. But time passed. Molly was gone. Both men grieved in their own ways. And both men found greater loves than they ever could have imagined in two remarkable, stubborn, and determined women.

Ignacio, Elena, Claire, and her new boyfriend Enrique were in the kitchen making more snacks for everyone. Betty joined Daniel in the doorway, and they entered the room with trays containing cookies and mugs full of hot chocolate with marshmallows and candy canes. Trailing behind them was their four year old daughter Isabel Rose with an extra bag of marshmallows. She quickly found a spot near her Aunt Alexis who was sitting by the fire cooing over Daniel and Betty's baby boy, Peter Bradford Meade.

More guests rang the doorbell, so Daniel handed his tray to Cliff and made his way to the door. Becks and his new wife Lisa entered the foyer, shaking off the snow from their coats before removing them.

"Hey, I didn't think you guys were going to make it this year," Daniel said hugging each one individually. "Let me take your coats."

Betty walked into the foyer. "Merry Christmas, Becks. Lisa, I'm so glad you could make it." She and Lisa hugged each other. "I know you were trying to get things wrapped up for the next issue of MYW."

Lisa had been the editor-in-chief of MYW since Sophia Reyes almost tanked the magazine after Daniel and Betty got engaged. Lisa was gorgeous but in a fierce and exotic way, add to that she had a Somali accent and certain similar features and one could understand why she was often mistaken for the supermodel/actress Iman. When Daniel and Betty returned two years ago, Lisa and Betty hit it off right away and quickly became close friends, which was how Lisa ended up meeting Beckett Scott.

Becks and Lisa went into the living room to greet everyone. Lisa joined Alexis by the fire and Becks joined Connor and Bobby. The three men along with Daniel had gotten into two-on-two basketball games that helped them bond and relax away from the wives and work, except for when Alexis and Lisa wanted to join the game when Alexis was in town.

Betty and Daniel stood in the door way and watched as Ignacio's kitchen patrol came into the room with more food for everyone.

"Uncle Papi made flan! Watch out!" Amanda jumped up and made a run for the table.

Ignacio swatted her hand away for the dish he placed for everyone. "Amanda, I made a dish just for you. Leave that one for the others. I'll get yours," Ignacio said as the others laughed.

Meanwhile, Isabel Rose quietly went to her parents. "Mommy, Daddy," she whispered as she tugged on Daniel and Betty's shirts.

"Yes, honey," Daniel smiled down at his dark haired daughter whose warm brown eyes matched her mother's.

Isabel Rose giggled and pointed above their heads. "You're standing under the mistletoe!"

Daniel looked up. "Well, you're right, Isabel Rose." Daniel looked at Betty and his eyes turned the dark blue she loved to see. He slowly reached up and held her face in his hands. "I never get tired of this."

"Neither do I. Merry Christmas, Daniel," Betty whispered.

"Merry Christmas, Betty," Daniel softly said before capturing his wife's lips in his own.


End file.
